Outdoor playtime is not just reserved for kids. The fact is you’re never too old for a little fun and frolicking outdoors. Whether it’s at a campsite or a tailgate, the beach or the backyard, kids, teens and adults can all take advantage of the great outdoors, too. To ramp up the fun factor, try one of these top ten outdoor yard games. All games are great for small groups and social distancing.
1. Spikeball
This game made its claim to fame on Shark Tank, and for a very good reason. Spikeball is played with teams of two serving and hitting the ball similar to volleyball, except with a much easier set up. The game consist of a flexible, hula-hoop-sized net with foldable legs, that make it the perfect, portable game to take to the park, or the beach. The players bounce the ball off the net and towards the opposing team who then have three passes to get the ball back. When they miss, you score, and first team to get to 21 wins. Spikeball is available here.
2. Ladder Golf
Some folks call it Ladder Toss, but the official set is labeled Ladder Golf. It’s fun and easy entertainment for a backyard party. Each player gets three “bolas” to toss onto the ladder rungs. A bola is two golf balls tied together with rope – how can swinging that not be fun? The object of the game is to wrap your bolas around the ladder steps and possibly knock your opponents off to steal their score. It’s fun, it’s frustrating – everything you want in an outdoor game.
For official rules and to purchase, click here.
3. Badminton
Although this game officially became an Olympic sport in 1992, badminton really is the great classic equalizer of skill and age – anyone with any skill level of any age can play. The great thing about badminton is that once you have a net, a few racquets and a shuttlecock, it can be as fun and flexible as you want.You can play with any number of people as long as you have enough racquets, and you can be as competitive as you want. Each side takes turns serving and points are scored when the opposing side missing the shuttlecock and it falls to the ground. If you want to take your badminton to the Olympic level, see the official rules here.
4. Lawn Twister
Create a giant twister board on your lawn with ground marking spray paint in different colors. Cut a 10-12 inch circle on a piece of cardboard and use that as a stencil to spray paint your circles. You can make as many rows of each color that you want depending on how many people will be playing. Then, you can either make a spinner like the game, or make cards with the different options – for example: Right Hand Red or Left Foot Blue. If you have teens and adults playing, make the circles bigger and further apart. For smaller kids, make smaller circles that are a little closer together. Whatever the age, Lawn Twister will bring the laughter outside!
5. Corn Hole / Washer Toss
For some strange reason, get outside and no one can resist throwing things into holes. For the best of all hole-throwing worlds, entertain your teens and adult friends outside with a combo “Corn Hole and Washer Toss set” (available for purchase on amazon.com). This set includes both classic outdoor lawn games: 3 -hole bean bag toss and 3-hole washer toss with two 26″ L x 10″ W game platforms, six 4″ square toss bags (3 red, 3 blue) and six washers (3 red, 3 blue). Just flip the platforms for your choice of bean bag toss or washer toss.
6. Capture the Flag REDUX
It’s the classic Capture the Flag game revolutionized with futuristic glow-in-the-dark lights! Break friends out of jail, sneak into enemy territory, protect your base and steal the glowing flag to win. Each game box includes two glowing orbs to use as the “flags,” color-coded LED bracelets to differentiate team members, glowing jail markers, and a rule-book. As an extra bonus, each kit includes 12 game variation cards that provide you with new ways to play Capture the Flag, as well as other games. It’s a great way to bring people of all ages together – kids, teens, even normally boring adults. Click here to purchase Capture the Flag REDUX.
7. Lawn Bowling
For the ultimate backyard hangout session, The Hey! Play! Lawn Bowling Game comes with everything you need to have a ball. The set includes ten 8” solid pine wood pins, two 2.5″ wood bowling balls, and a nylon carrying case so you can take the game anywhere – backyard, beach, or park. Simply unpack the game, set up the colorful pins, and you are ready to roll.
8. Wizards & Werewolves
This epic, team-based game that pits two mythical forces against each other in an exciting backyard battle of speed, skill and wits. Play as a Wizard and search for glowing magic crystals. Or bare your teeth as a Werewolf and hunt down the Wizards. For 4-15 players, ages 8+. Get yours here.
9. Giant Outdoor Games
When you want an eye-catching game for your next outdoor event, visit this website to choose from bigger-than-life size versions of Snakes & Ladders, Checkers, or Pick Up Sticks. This site has all sorts of games that have been super-sized so you can physically get in the fun, including jumbo wooden dice, giant chess games, supersized croquet, and huge volleyball. The motto here for outdoor fun is go big or go home.
Outdoor games for adults are not made simply to kill time. Your stress gets reduced too when grown folks get together for outdoor games or contests. We have nothing against lounging by the swimming pool or kicking back for a movie marathon. Stress can be greatly reduced by relaxing. We’re saying that playing some fun outdoor games is another way to relax and get much needed exercise as the same time.
If you play hard enough then you will find those afternoon naps and movie marathons even more enjoyable. Rest feels more deserved and rewarding after getting physical with some sort of outdoor game.
What kind of outdoor games for adults are available? I happen to have about a hundred options locked and loaded. But I will only mention a few here since you still have to work, take care of your family, mow the lawn, organize the closets, feed the pets… see why you need more fun in your life?
The first game is paintball. This is one that you will need to plan a bit. Get your church group or neighbors involved so you can have a huge battle. Paintball courses are not hard to find in bigger cities. If you wanted to get serious about these competitions then you could buy your own equipment at amazon and join a club near you. You won’t have time to worry about bills, college tuition, or your micromanaging boss since you’ll be too busy avoiding enemy fire!
On to the next game. Why not use the basketball that Little Johnny has ignored since he became too cool for driveway b-ball? You don’t have to challenge your spouse to a 1980s style game with elbows to the ribs and flagrant fouls. A calm game of one-on-one or HORSE is a great way to burn some calories. Also it will get you away from the climate controlled house for a while. A/C is awesome but it sure makes us weak!
Badminton is one of those outdoor games for adults where parents can get the kids involved. You and your spouse can take on your friends in couples battles. Or make it old school versus new school, letting the kids try to whip the parents. By the end of the night, you will have forgotten all about “Whiny Wendy” at the office. And you’ll get a relaxing night of sleep after this active game.
Here’s another active option. Parents are not too old to play our glow in the dark game Capture the Flag REDUX. OK, the kiddos will tell you guys that you’re too old for basically everything. What do they know! They were born like five minutes ago. Just for them being smart alecks, leave them behind and head out for an adults-only weekend of camping and Capture the Flag. What a stress reliever that will be. Let the grandparents handle the whippersnappers for a couple days. If you’re a parent who thinks you’re too old to play CTF, then take a look at the games on your iPhone right now. Still a kid at heart who loves games, right? Click here to buy our glow in the dark Capture The Flag REDUX game.
If it’s too hot for a rigorous game then tone it down a bit. Horseshoes or cornhole won’t work up much sweat. Both of these games will give you time to talk with other adults while enjoying a friendly contest. Trust me, these games are better for conversation than sitting around a pool each and every time you have company over. We’ve said it before – conversations begin easier when people are active instead of staring at each other from a sofa or lounge chair.
For you parents that have really stressful jobs (anything working with the public!), you need something more physical. Something that requires grit and a sense of adventure. Life may have beaten that sense of adventure out of you, so you must rekindle it. Ask… wait, don’t ask your better half about a real adventure. Secretly set up an ATV trail ride for you and your partner at an amazing location. Guides are available to ensure you win the contest… the contest is with yourself. You win by going and doing something new in The Great Outdoors.
Let’s get back to local game possibilities. There was a time when parents didn’t go to their kids’ softball tournaments solely as spectators. Mom and dad had lives of their own and actually played in adult softball leagues. Yes kids, the people you see as geriatrics could actually run and slide! Is it too late to bust some stress while knocking a pitch over the fence in the bottom of the 6th? Heck no! You parents make time for all your kids’ events so please make time for enjoying softball for yourselves. Meeting new people while having fun is what life is all about.
If you have a swimming pool and you enjoy swimming after dark, we have created some great glow in the dark glow in the dark swimming pool games that you may enjoy. Yes, we created our swimming pool games for kids, but we have heard from adults that they enjoy playing them too. We also wrote an article you may enjoy on swimming pool games for adults.
If those outdoor games for adults are not up your alley, then tell us what you guys are doing for fun and stress relief. Please make sure you don’t tell us that scrolling through Facebook and Instagram is how you relax. Those “activities” are some of the most stressful things we can do. And one of the least active. Hitting 100 like buttons does nothing for your cardio fitness and actually does nothing whatsoever.
There is nothing like outdoor games for kids and adults to play together. Here are some of our favorite outdoor games.
Four Square
This simple game from your grade school years is remarkably simple but can supply endless fun. All you need is a bouncy ball, a hard surface away from cars or anything that can hurt players or be damaged by a flying ball, and some street chalk to make four squares. I won’t bore you with the rules, but this four-player game can be played with large groups. When someone gets out, have someone cycle in to the fourth, or D, position. Add more interest by giving the person in the top square the ability to make rules up if they’ve held that spot for five rounds in a row.
Red Rover
You will be surprised at how fun two rows of people holding hands can be! The game is best played when you rotate kids with adults, or purposefully put two kids together to give those on the other team a better chance at breaking through somewhere.
Giants, Wizards, and Elves
We at Starlux Games love different versions of paper, rock, scissors. This one is a hilarious, fun games for all ages.
Divide the group into two team, who all play the same action at the same time. They have three choices. Giants stand on their toes, raise their arms high and make giant noises. Wizards crouch a little, like an old magician, wave their fingers like they are casting a spell, and say something like “Shazaam!” Elves crouch lowly, cup their hands over their ears and make a high-pitched noise like “Eeee!”
The winners grab the losers and pull them to their side. The losers try to get behind the safe zone behind them. Giants beat elves (squish!), elves beat wizards (those wily folk), wizards beat giants (zap!).
(Image from https://sherlocksam.wordpress.com/activities/four-square-fun/)